Side curtain for automobiles



R. J. GRUENBERG.

SIDE CURTAIN FDR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1919.

1,415,441. Patented May 9, 1922.

2 smears-sneer I.

'IZI 20 INVENTOR R.'J. GRUENBERG.-

SIDE CURTAIN FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR-16. 1919.

Patented May 9, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- .INQVENTOR R. J. GRUENBERG.

BY M 6.%

Urra

RAOUL J. GRUEN'BEBG,'OIE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SIDE CURTAIN FOR AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RAOUL J. GRUENBERG,

This invention relates to a side curtain for automobilesand its object 1s to produce a side curtain which will be capable of being placed'in positionjfor use or concealed under the top at will without stopping the automobile or'getting out of the same.

Another object of the invention is to produce a side curtain "structure and support therefor'which can be assembled in or dismounted from any standard automobile top with the minimum of labor and with'practically no change in the top. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a curtain which will have a-large window opening and'which will be so-positioned when'not in use as to prevent injury to the material, usually some form of celluloid or pyrolin, as takes place when the curtains are stored in such aposition as to bend the pyrolin. 1

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the-invention is shown in the drawingsin which the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout, but. I am aware that there may be modificationsthereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile with a set of these curtains applied to the top thereof, a portion of the cover materialbeing cut away,

Figure 2is a plan view of the top ribs showing the application thereto of the guides for thesupport of the curtains herein disclosed, i i i a Figure 3 is a sectional view of the automobile top' on a larger scale than Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side view of one of the side curtains, r

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the top looking toward the front of the car, and

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patent d M y 9 1922 7 Application filed April 16, 1919. Serial No. 290,378. 7

Figure 6 is a transverse section of the top ad] acent' the rear curtain supporting rod.

The numeral 1 the automobile and 2 the body thereof, said body having any suitable form of top 3; ln the present instance, folding type of so-called one man top? is used. Thlsltop is provided with. a long bow 4, a shorter bow 5 pivoted thereto,'the latter having a bow '6 pivoted thereon. The long bow {lsupports a :suitable set of links 7, 8, 9, 10 which are in. turn connected represents the wheels of a well known to. the bows 11 and 12, the two latter bows being connected by the link 13. The front of the bow 12 is suitably connected to the windshield 14 all of which is well known in the art andforms no part of the present invention.

little narrower thanthe body of the car, a curtain with along narrow window is 'prov ded at each end of the windshield as is cured to the top and carbody with suitable fasteners. a i

. The present invention comprises four guide rods'17, 18 19 and 20,. which are suit ably curved to lie under the top closely- Since the wind-shields are usually a v '75 shown at15 and 16, said curtain being se the arm 22 to thecenter of the top, of the bow' l.

w The rods 18 and19-are joined at their ends and connected to the'rear ends ofzthe bow 12 on opposite sides of the car. Thesevtwo rods are joined by a plate 23 at their plate is connected to the top centers, which of the center of the bow 11. The guide rod v 20 is connected at 24, 25 to the how; 12 andit has an arm 26 which connects it with the center of the bow 12 over thetop of the windshield.

The curtains consist of light rectangular frames made of thin .steel plates 27 to 30 inclusive, which plates are covered with a suitable cloth or leather body a window 82. At the ibottom,'the curtains 31 carrying have tabs 33, 34 reinforced with the lower ends of theplates 28,29 for the purpose of holding the curtains up, as will be'later ex plained. .I l

Attheupper end, each curtain, of which there are two on each side of the car, has an ear as at 36, 37, through which the rods pass, whereby the curtains are supported. It will be observed in Figures 5 and 6, that the outer ends of the curtain supporting rods are sharply down turned, the object being to hold the curtains out when once they have been swung into that position. It is also to be noted that the curtains are actually wider than the frame on which they are formed, the object being to provide a flexible edge for each curtain which will overlap the adjacent curtains and which will be easier to manipulate than if the curtain was rigid for its full width] The curtains are of such length that the ends of the bars 28, 29 will touch the side bows, note the right sides of Figures 5 and 6, with sufflcient friction to hold the curtains up when they have been onceplaced in that position.

The curtains are fastened down by means of suitable buttons 41 to 44 inclusive.

This structure provides transverse guide rods, the rods 17 to 20, connected to the longitudinal side rails, the members 7 and 12, of the top, abutment elements, the arm 32 and the plate 23, associated with the rods, curtains slidable on the rods from a substantially horizontal position beneath the top to a vertical position depending from the side rails, the curtains in horizontal position engaging the abutment elements and the horizontal side rails, said abutment elements being spaced from said side rails a distance less than the length of the relatively stiff flexible side curtains so that said curtains must be flexed to wedgingly engage the side rails and be frictionally maintained in engagement therewith by the inherent tension of the curtains. By the term inherent tension of the curtains I refer to the spring tension of the curtain, as a unit, which tends to maintain it in a flat condition, and by which it grips the surface of the longitudinal rail when wedged upwardly between the rail and the inner abutment elements. The retaining of the curtains in upper position by this wedging action obviates the necessity of any latches or retaining means of other character.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as followsw express reservation being made of permissible modifications:

1. The combination including an automobile top having longitudinal side rails and a plurality of transverse guides, abutment elements associated with said guides, and relatively stiff flexible side curtains slidably sup ported by the guides and adapted to have their lower edges brought against the side rails and their upper portion brought against the abutments to be frictionally maintained against displacement by their inherent tension.

2. The combination including an automobile top having longitudinal side rails and a plurality of transverse guide rods, abutment elements associated with said rods, and relatively stilt flexible side curtains slidable on the rods from a substantially horizontal position beneath the top roof to a vertical position depending below the side rails, said curtains being adapted to be flexed to engage their upper portion with the abutments and their lower portion with the side rails, with their inherent tension functioning to irictionally maintain said curtains against displacement.

3. The combination including an automobile top having longitudinal side rails and a plurality of transverse guide rods, abutment elements associated with said rods, and relatively stiff flexible side curtains having ears through which the rods project, the curtains being adapted to slide on the rods from a substantially horizontal position beneath the top roof to a vertical position depending below the side rails, the curtains being adapted to be flexed and wedged between the abutments and side rails with their lower edges frictions-11y gripping the side rails.

4:. The combination including an automobile top having longitudinal side rails and intermediate abutment elements transversely spaced therefrom, and relatively stilt flexible side curtains slidable on the top from a substantially horizontal position beneath the top roof to a vertical position depending from the side rails, the curtains having an inherent straightening tension adapting them to be flexed to wedge their upper portions against the abutments and their lower edges against the side rails to frictionally maintain them against displacement.

5. The combination including an aut0mobile top having longitudinal side rails and intermediate abutment elements transversely spaced a fixed distance therefrom, and relatively stifl flexible side curtains longer than said fixed distance and having an inherent tension tending to maintain them. in flat condition, whereby, said curtains may be flexed into wedging engagement with the rails and abutments with their inherent tension main taining them against displacement.

6. The combination including an automobile top having longitudinal side rails, transverse guides fixed on the top below its roof, abutment elements associated with the guides and spaced a fixed distance from the rails, and relatively stiff flexible side curtains longer than said fixed distance and having an inherent straightening tension, the curtains being slidable on the guides, from a vertical position depending from'the side rails to a substantially horizontal position beneath the top roof and then flexed to frictionally Wedge between the abutments connectwith said guides, the lower edges 01? i I and side ra Is. the curtains being adapted, to frictionallyj 7. A side curtain for automobiles comprisengage the side rails of the top When not 10 j ing an automobile top having supporting in use. s 5 bows With side rails, a plurality of trans- In'testimony whereof I have hereunto set Verse guides associated With the top, 0111'- my hand this 9th day of April A. D. 1 919. 'tains having means at their upper edges to I RAOUL J GRUENBERG. 

